–===============================================>
Check out this old TT photo from 1952 - the bike is a 125cc BSA Bantam -( it didn’t go fast enough to put his cigarette out!!)

==========================================>

With Spark Arrestors now required on all Off Road Vehicles used on Crown Land, we have been getting lots of calls for these.

Here is one that we will be stocking for the TRS and a similar one will be available for the Beta - these are made in Canada .

===========================================>

A reminder that the last round of the Outlaw series for 2018, is only one week down the road, and will be at the Carl Kuster Mountain Park in Malakwa BC - ( approx 6km East of Sicamous BC) Sam King is the Clerk of the course. - Camping is available on site. This is June 1oth and is one day only - for more info, you can either call me or Sam -

==========================================>

We have noticed that the Trials Canada Web site is down again - this is due to a huge increase in people clicking on this popular site.

Bob will I’m sure, have it up and running again later today. ( We have had the same thing happen often with our site )

We had a nice ride out in the Yankee Flats area on Tuesday - everything so green, but a lot less run off at the far end of the Valley, we tried to find Spanish Lake, but never did, not sure why - I’ve only been there a couple of times, but obviously took a wrong turn somewhere. - To get to the top trail, we went up the hill climb section - then through the bush ( nobody has been through this way for years) - We noticed where somebody had camped near the top road, nice spot, but we sure hope these random campers REALLY put out their campfires before they leave ( This one was all good)

============================================>

And yes - I ask the same question - The World seems to have gone to hell with all this Muslim crap.

===========================================>

This is John Banks - the greatest Moto X rider never to win a World Championship ( said Jeff Smith) -

=======================================>

We have heard that the Kids ride put on last Sunday by the Vernon Club - went over really well - good job by Olivier & Blake for organizing this - nothing like starting them young.

========================================>

The Moto GP Teams will be in Italy this weekend for the next round of the Championship - the race goes at Valentino’s home track on the Adriatic Coast near Rimini, ( Where Babsy & myself spent our honeymoon)

======================================>

The World Trials Teams will be in Japan this weekend for Round #2 of the Series - the event is always held at the Honda owned land close to the Factory, and where Fujigas has a huge fan base, we hope he does well.

======================================>

There is a WEC Hare Scramble at Panorama this weekend as well, one of the reasons we set back our Trial at Malakwa one week - Beta Canada will be at the Inveremere event with demo rides available.

Max and Britta have been exploring some fantastic country near Invermere BC - on their TRS Trials bikes - check out this pic - you can just see the bikes in the middle of the pic - Max also sent us a great video - must say I’m impressed at how quickly Britta is adapting to riding - this certainly doesn’t look like beginner stuff.!!

==========================================>

The weather has “Cooled” a bit today, which is good -
=========================================>

We heard that they had a good turn out at the Honda Trial Sunday in Ioco - But the best performance on a Four-stroke, was Bob Clark on the Beta Factory 300 4T - he lost ZERO points !!!! That is pretty impressive - full results and write up can be seen on Trials Canada.

=========================================>

We had an email from Turk Perepalkin - he has now been out on his new Evo 200 a few times, and said that after watching and listening to me rave about this model, he can now confirm that it’s all true. - The 200 will go anywhere the bigger bikes will go, and is really a “Giant Killer” - We have the last one of these for 2018 arriving this week. - Not sold as yet.

In other Beta News - there are a couple of good used ones for sale locally - Martin has his 2009 290 going for $4200, While Andrew James has his Beta Factory 300 going for $7500 - Sammy also has his 2017 TRS 300 for sale at $7200 .

=======================================>

Here is a classic photo with a lot of nostalgia - Sammy Miller, Gordon Blakeway and Ron Langston - posing with the Ariel at the Sammy Miller Museum. - Back in the day, they formed the Ariel Trials Team, and still get together once a year for a reunion.

And here is another pic of Sammy taking a trip in a special two seat Spitfire at the old RAF base at Biggen Hill

Well! - it has been quite an “Aussie” couple of weekends - last week Sammy did the double at the Scotch Creek Outlaw Trial, then this weekend first Daniel Ricciardo won the Monaco Formula One Grand Prix - then Sunday Will Powers took the win at the Indy 500 - So Congrats all round for the lads from “Down Under” ( I watched the Indy - it was exciting)
Back in Canada - Jordan Szoke was again the guy on top of the Podium at the Canadian Road Race Championships in Eastern Canada. - The Multi time Champ likes to ride Trials in the off season. ( He is now on TRS)

========================================>

The TT is now on for 2018 >>

First practice scheduled for this evening

After months of planning and preparations, TT 2018 is here.

The first practice session is scheduled for this evening.

The Mountain Road between Ramsey and The Bungalow will close at 4.45pm, with the section to Creg-ny-Baa closing from 5pm.

The rest of the course will close at 6pm, until no later than 9.30pm.

First away will be the newcomers, who will set off on a speed-controlled lap.

Clerk of the Course is Gary Thompson:

===========================================>

The latest rumor in the Moto GP Paddock, has Jorge Lorenzo back on a Yamaha next year - Like Valentino Rossi- before him, Lorenzo has had trouble getting to grips with the Italian Ducati - As another tribute to our Aussie friends, it is fair to say that Casey Stoner has been the most successful rider for decades, on the Desmo- Twins, from Modena. Italy.

============================================>

I saw this posted and thought I had to add to this blog - As most of you know, I grew up during World War Two, and although I was just a small boy - the memories are still there.

The sad thing is that, the England that so many of these fine young men fought and died for a Country that appears to have now been taken over by the Islamic race, they have taken advantage of the lax rules on Immigration and are now destroying what was once the Island that Winston Churchill held so dear. - I have not been back to the UK since 2003 when my mother died, and although I still have family there, I doubt that I will ever return.

Of course, there is always the good side to every bad one, and for me that has to be the Scottish Six Days - If they can keep the Muslim problems out - then who knows?
This pic shows King George V1 - visiting a bomber base in 1944.

================================================>

Finally for today. - I would like to thank all the well wishers for their kind words regarding my upcoming Induction into the Canadian Motorcycle Hall of Fame.- this was totally unexpected. - Just like to say that since 1953 Motorcycles have been my life - helping others understand and try the sport, has been a lot of fun, plus working in the Industry since 1973.

If I have helped people enjoy our sport, along the way, I think that’s great, I’ve made so many friends that I can’t count them all -

=============================================>

Without a doubt the biggest problem we face riding out in the bush - is the Forest Fire Hazard - I have just seen that there is a fire in the McLean Creek area near Calgary. - That was where we ran the 1975 FIM World Round.

=============================================>

Chris Hrabb is always busy during Fire season, Flying the Selkirk Helicopter - nice logo’s he has on his helmet.!!

While the main purpose of Trials bikes, is for competition, likely only about 40% are ever used for this. - most are used as trail bikes or for exploring mountainous terrain - here is a pic showing one rider doing just that - pushing across a snow slide in the late Spring.

=================================================>

This is a classic shot of a rider blasting down Bray Hill in the Isle of Man - the bike is a New Imperial - very fast and popular in the 1930’s. - Les Archer junior, later became a very successful Scrambles rider on a very special Norton.

Amazing quality in this photo, which would have been taken with a “Plate type” camera - long before film and digital stuff that makes things so easy these days.

==========================================>

The British Super bike Championships are on this weekend at Donnington Park - and the big surprise has been “The Flying Dutchman” Van Der Mark - Taking both his races ahead of some very fast Brits.

This weekend is Memorial Day in the USA - lots of stuff happening, but notably the “Indy 500″ - I think that the Formula One race in Monaco also goes this weekend - here is an old poster. - Remember the film “Grand Prix” which starred James Garner ? - they set up a sequence where one of the cars goes into the harbor, but this actually happened one year, luckily the driver escaped.

========================================>

The action has also started in the Isle of Man - where June is always TT month - crazy road racing on ordinary roads around the Manx 37 .7 Mile Mountain circuit - always thrilling, but also deadly.

========================================>

We haven’t heard if any riders got ticketed on the long weekend, while out riding in the Forestry - Our Outlaw Event at Scotch Creek was on Private Property, so no problem. However, with already a bunch of Wild Fires burning in BC, I’m sure all Off Road activity will be under scrutiny. We still don’t have Spark Arrestors for sale ( We do have one on our Beta Evo) but some people are making their own. - Basically the Co’s will be checking for these, plus Off Road Registration and Insurance.

=========================================>

A good caption for this photo, taken at the first Outdoor World Round in Spain last weekend ( in the rain) could be

” How the hell do we ride this ? We only practice hopping on dry rocks?”

Of course the exception, would be James Dabill - who had just completed the very wet Scottish Six Days Trial. - As most folk know - this World round stuff, is supposed to be scored under the “No Stop” rules, but if you watch the videos from both the Scottish and this Spanish event, a lot of the top riders, should have been scored a few “Fives” for stopping - or as it used to be written in the Rule Book - “Cessation of forward Motion” - We saw Dougie Lampkin, get away with at least one “5″ in the Scottish - and in the video of this Spanish Trial - Toni Bou has an outstanding ride on one section, but it should have been scored a Five. -

The problem we have with this scoring system, is that many Observers or checkers, are intimidated by the top riders, or their “Minders”

==========================================>

More news as it happens >>>
=========================================>

The Trial, Technical & Medical Commissions of the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM), together with Sport7 & 2Play, the Trial & X-Trial Promoters and Theresa Bäuml, the Female Trial Riders’ Representative, recently gathered in Mies to meet manufacturers of body protectors suitable for riders in the Trial and X-Trial disciplines.

Alpinestars, Hebo, Leatt, Mots, Ortema, Racer, REV’IT! and S3 were all represented at the meeting and presented their current products and new prototypes.

The FIM is currently working on the next steps toward the implementation of back protectors for the upcoming 2019 season.

Fabio Muner, FIM Sports Director, commented: “I want to deeply thank all the protection manufacturers for attending the meeting. For the FIM it is really important to work in close cooperation with the main brands operating in the motorcycle marketplace and build constructive and durable relationships with the industry engaged and investing in our World Championships. The day after this valuable workshop, the FIM Trial Sections & Safety Working Group held its meeting and engaged in fruitful discussions with a view to improving the safety of Sections and other general aspects of Trial, in accordance with the priorities defined in the FIM Strategic plan.”

Theresa Bäuml, the Female Trial Riders’ Representative, expressed satisfaction about the meeting: “Discussions about safety in our sport are very important; it was interesting to get to know all these different products, including some coming from other sports. It was a good chance for me to represent the female riders’ positions and work more closely with the manufacturers to find the best protectors suitable for Trials.

======================================>

And here is a video clip of the First World Round of the season in Spain - looks more like a typical day in the UK weather-wise >>

Can’t help but think that this guy on on the wrong type of bike for going up there !!! reminds me of when a bunch of us guys from the Calgary Club were stuck on a snowy Mountain with our Enduro bikes - Our buddy Bucky Johnson said - “You know I think we would have been better off on sleds today”

=============================================>

So here we are heading into another weekend - There is a CMA Trial at Ioco on Sunday, and Sammy has got an Enduro School going on at the Carl Kuster Mountain Park . - We are planning on doing a bit of one on one coaching with Britta on Sunday, hopefully it won’t be too hot - I see there are already Forest Fires burning both in BC and Alberta, plus a big one in Manitoba - not good this early in the riding season.

=============================================>

Next Event in our region - June 10th at Malakwa ( CKMP) - Last round of the Outlaw Series and Sammy is Clerk of the course.

=============================================>

I see the Trials Canada site is down again - I’ve emailed Bob so that he is aware, and can get it fixed. UPDATE NOW FIXED.
=============================================>

We love riding at this location when all the flowers are in bloom - later these yellow “Dog-daisies” will be replaced by blue bells- absolutely stunning.

Here is another sea of yellow - this time from the TRS Factory

=====================================>

It’s a bit cooler this morning in the Valley, which is nice - perhaps a shower of rain later, which would be good.

=====================================>

Here is the poster for the WTC Western Canadian Championship at Revelstoke - Round #1 of the National Series in the West. - Florian already has the route planned with some new stuff cut out - this was done last year, but of course we had to cancel because of the Fire hazard.

========================================>

Thisn’t one of my pics - but it could very well be - as there is nothing I like doing more than climbing Mountains on my Trials bike.

A bit of a lazy day on Tuesday - after the busy long weekend - looks like we will get hot weather for most of the week, with maybe a shower on Saturday.

This old memory from the 25th running of the Outlaw Trial just popped up on FB - it shows Tony Down from Colorado with his very nice Yamaha Majesty - In case you can’t tell Tony is an Ex Brit, who was a Pilot in the RAF before settling in the USA.

=========================================>

Jordi and Adam unveil the new TRS “Gold” model in Spain - Not sure if we will get any as there are only 150 being built. - Steve Saunders the UK Importer is getting 20 & says they are fabulous - but then again so are the stock bikes - Here is what a Trials dealer from North Wales just posted.

David WilliamsHi guys!! I am a trials dealer and former Welsh clubmans champion in north wales…I had the opportunity to ride one of these on a test day and these machines are absolutely fantastic!! I only ride what bikes I have in the shop, as many come and go etc. I’ve always been a Montesa rider by choice…and ridden and competed on almost any trials bike!! These TRS bikes in my personal opinion have become my personal favourite and wishing to own one before the end of the year!!

=======================================>

Bob Clark our TRS Importer, and former Beta Importer - decided to ride a Beta Evo 300 4T at the Outlaw Trial - we don’t see too many of these out on the loop, but having had one a couple of years ago, I can tell you that they are neat bikes - really easy to start, very quiet, and a pleasure to ride as a “Trail” bike - However, like all the four-strokes - they are heavier than the 2T versions, so it’s a case of personal choices.

As everybody knows, the World Champ rides a Honda 4T - but this is a very expensive factory model full of exotic materials which bring it down close to the same weight as the other Factories 2T bikes - However, the FIM have a “Weight limit” for these events, which means that many of the factories have to add lead weights to their 2T bikes ( Some say Honda dictate the rules to the FIM ??)
Many people might remember that a few years ago, the FIM ( under pressure from Honda) that all the World Trials bikes, would have to be four-stokes, by I think the year 2005 - but of course this simply didn’t happen. - All that did was cost some of the smaller European Factories, a bundle of money in design and new manufacturing costs.

Sherco brought out the 320 in 2005 ( A bit of a disaster) and Gas Gas played around with a side-valve model - ( never went into production) - So finally common sense prevailed, and things reverted back to normal. ( except for the lead weights to make the 2T’s the same weight as the Honda)
The latest buzz on the Trials scene - is the new Electric class - which sees Gas Gas and others - including Yamaha - exploring this market - but these bikes are only good for parking lot Trials and are super expensive. - ( Maybe these might work out for the next generation of riders - but not for old guys like me)

The opening round of the 2018 FIM World Championship appeared to be a toughie - with heavy rain half way through making for slick conditions. No surprise about who won. Must admit I thought Raga and Caby would have been further up.

============================================>

Here is a pic of Sammy at the Outlaw - he seems to have adapted nicely to the new ride. ( I pressed the shutter a bit too soon)

========================================>

So Monday was a quiet day around the Outlaw Camp - except of course we had to unload the van - found some things that people wanted at the event !!!! What the !!

Later Britta called around to drop off some of some stuff from her farm in Enderby ( nothing like fresh veg)

We chatted about the weekend, and in particular about her ride up over Cougar Bluff ( with another young lady) - This is not an easy ride - so kudo’s to her for making it around - (We heard brakes were smoking on the down-hills)- I must say that I’m amazed at how quickly Britta has caught on to the Trials riding, with her TRS -( it’s a 300)
We hope to get out at the weekend with maybe some other folks.

Looking back at the weekend event - I have to congratulate Ross Rathbone, for setting up another great Outlaw Trial . - The idea behind this way back in 1987, was for it to be a fun Trial with a long loop and traditional style sections. - For 25 years, or so, we ran it at Summerland - everybody liked Summerland - but times change and you move on. - I think this latest campground at Scotch Creek, will attract many more people.
While there are folk who think, we should now be changing our plan - and hosting this as a Spectator type event. with circus like obstacles - I can assure you that this will NEVER happen ( as long as I’m alive)

We tend to think and watch, what is happening at the Scottish Six Days - and although we understand that this is a unique event, the basic idea of how I myself feel about Trials, remains the same. - Keep it simple and the riders will come back.

In the World Enduro events, riders are now trying to ride “Trials” sections” - - Why is this? I don’t understand it at all, but of course it is easy to see why ex Trials riders are always winning these events. — The powers that be at the FIM, now have a “Race type” section for qualifying at World Championship Trials ???? None of this makes sense to me - Trials is and always has been a unique sport - if we try to change it, it will die.
===========================================>

We had Chris Hrabb, stop by yesterday on his way out of town, he was at the Squealing Pig Hare Scramble just outside Vernon, but unfortunately pulled some muscles in his side before the event, so ended up helping out and playing medic to a couple of injured riders. - Chris told me that it was a great event - our Beta Importer was there with demo rides on the neat Enduro bikes and by all accounts this went really well. A big “well done” to Steve Howland for driving all across Canada ( from New Brunswick) to promote the Beta product.